central city of homs with air strikes and tank and mortar shelling. activists say it was the heaviest assault in months. meanwhile more trouble ahead, the u.n. security council has condemned the syrian -- have related again. another cross boarder raid according to the wires. we will stay on top of that. michael gerson is here, former white house speechwriter who helped prepare george w. debates for 2000 and 2004. he joins us monday for a predate debate chat and we invited him back to talk post-debate. as a republican and watching this, you did not -- could not have predicted looking back at what we all anticipated would happen, we did not anticipate mitt romney would come to play and president obama would fail to show up. >> it was a big moment for romney. there will be a lot more big moments in this campaign. this is only -- >> only another month to go. >> that's true. but i do think two lasting things were accomplished by romney. one of them is just to buck up his own conservative and republican support. they saw someone they can be enthusiastic abo